CYNGHORAU CYMUNEDATHREF University of Wales, Aberystwyth: Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences Earth and Geography of Institute Aberystwyth: Wales, of University Astudiaeth Ymchwil i Rôl a Swyddogaethau Cynghorau Cymuned a Thref yng Nghymru Astudiaeth Ymchwil i Rôl a Swyddogaethau Cynghorau Cymuned a Thref yng Nghymru a’u Potensial i’rDyfodol Astudiaeth YmchwiliRôlaSwyddogaethauCynghorauCymunedThrefyngNghymrua’uPotensial a’u Potensial i’r Dyfodol Adroddiad i Lywodraeth Cynulliad Cymru Report to the Welsh Assembly Government Assembly Welsh the to Report Research Study into the Role, Functions and Future Potential of Community and Town Councils in Wales of Community and Town Research Study into the Role, Functions and Future Potential Community and Town Councils in Wales in Councils Town and Community Functions and Future Potential of Potential Future and Functions Research Study into the Role, Role, the into Study Research Prifysgol Cymru, Aberystwyth: Y Sefydliad Daearyddiaeth a Gwyddorau Daear COMMUNITY AND TOWN COUNCILS Dyluniwyd gan yr Uned Graffeg G/212/03-04 INA-15-08-059 Cysodwyd gan y Gwasanaethau Prosesu Testun Prosesu G/212/03-04 Gwasanaethau y Graffeg gan INA-15-08-059Uned yr Cysodwyd gan Dyluniwyd ISBN 0 7504 9926 5 9926 7504 0 ISBN Hydref2003 Goron y Hawlfraint © ISBN 0 7504 9926 5 October © Crown copyright 2003 Designed by Graphics Unit G/212/03-04 INA-15-08-059 Typesetting by Text Processing Services University of Wales, Aberystwyth Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences Regional Change and Development Research Group Research Study into the Role, Functions and Future Potential of Community and Town Councils in Wales Final Report to the Welsh Assembly Government Dr Michael Woods Dr Bill Edwards Dr Jon Anderson Dr Graham Gardner Rachel Hughes August 2003 FOREWORD From the Welsh Assembly Government Minister for Finance, Local Government and Public Services, Sue Essex AM. Community and town councils have for long been the silent partners in local government. They are the tier of local government which is closest to local people and should be the tier with which the public most closely identifies, but nationally little is known about them. Community and town councils are responsible to their local electorate for delivering a wide range of services and for the provision and upkeep of local amenities. They also represent the views of local people to their county/county borough councils and other bodies. This study, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and undertaken by the Institute of Geography and Earth Sciences at Aberystwyth University, is the first comprehensive review of the work of community and town councils in Wales. It catalogues all the activities undertaken by local councils. I am pleased to see that the vast majority of community and town councils actively contribute to their areas’ well being. The report also outlines the constraints which local councils face and sets out a number of proposals for enhancing community and town councils’ roles, should councils wish to take on additional responsibilities. The researchers consider that community and town councils have the potential to contribute significantly to the quality of life of local people and to local democracy. This enhanced role involves close working between the local councils and their county /county borough councils and other bodies. It also involves developing the capacity amongst elected members and officers to deliver those services which would be more appropriately delivered locally. This means working in partnership with others, including other community councils for the benefit of their areas. The report merits wide discussion within all tiers of local government and by those organisations which impinge on local government and the public. It will ensure that the Assembly’s proposals for community and town councils are based on hard facts and an awareness of the views of local councils, other bodies and the public. I encourage you to read the report and to comment on its conclusions and recommendations. CONTENTS Page Executive Summary 1 1. Introduction 13 – 16 The remit and purpose of the study 13 Programme of work and methodology 15 Definitions 16 Structure of the report 16 2. Community and Town Councils in Wales: The Historical 17 – 19 and Legislative Context The historical context 17 The legislative framework 18 3. The Characteristics and Distribution of Community 21 - 28 and Town Councils Overview 21 The benefits of community and town councils 23 The establishment and dissolution of councils 25 Grouping arrangements 27 Boundary reviews 28 4. The Role of Community and Town Councils in Providing 29 - 40 Services and Amenities Overview of current involvement 29 The delegation of functions from principal councils 32 Councils’ involvement in partnership working 38 5. The Representational Role of Community and 41 - 59 Town Councils Interaction with county and county borough councils 43 Involvement in the planning process 48 Engagement with the National Assembly and other bodies 52 Electronic communication with community and town councils 54 Community and town council representation on other bodies 55 The role and potential of the representative associations 57 6. The Engagement of Community and Town Councils with 61 - 68 their Communities Public participation in council meetings 61 Consulting the community 63 Communicating with communities 64 Elections 66 7. Local Council Finance and Evaluation 69 – 79 Overview of current finances 69 Double taxation 74 The future funding of community and town councils 76 Financial management 78 Wales Programme for Improvement 78 Evaluation of council performance 79 8. Councillors and Clerks 81 - 90 Towards more inclusive councils 81 Councillors’ workloads and remuneration 83 Code of conduct 85 Clerks and other council staff 86 Training 88 9. Conclusion 91 - 95 The implementation of the recommendations 93 Appendix A: Membership of the Steering Group 97 Appendix B: Detailed Methodology 99 - 105 Appendix C: Case Studies 107 - 115 Appendix D: Attendance at Public Seminars 117 - 119 Appendix E: Written Submissions 121 - 122 Appendix F: Functions of Community and Town Councils 123 Appendix G: Functions and Funding of Comparable Local 125 - 128 Authorities in Europe Appendix H: Sample Charter between a Principal Council 129 - 138 and Community and Town Councils Appendix I: The Implementation of the Recommendations 139 - 144 References 145 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Introduction S1 Community and town councils are the grassroots level of government in Wales. Serving populations ranging from 155 to 45,053 people, the 737 councils provide an important institutional vehicle for local collective action – to provide for and respond to local needs; to advocate community interests; and to organise and promote community events. Collectively, community and town councils across Wales engage some 8,000 individuals in voluntary service as councillors, and are responsible for managing an aggregate annual budget in excess of £25 million. S2 The existence of community and town councils enhances the local government system as a whole and provide a number of benefits to the communities that they serve. These include local responsiveness, the dedicated representation of local interests, the ability to mobilise community activity, and the capacity to provide additionality to the services and facilities operated by county and county borough councils. Compared with other forms of grassroots organisation, including community associations and residents’ groups, community and town councils have a number of advantages that follow from their statutory foundation. These include accountability to local people through elections, stability and continuity, tax-raising powers and the capacity to act as a catalyst for promoting participation in public service. S3 There are, however, growing pressures for reform, both to the structure of community and town councils, and to their working practices. More active councils have found themselves limited in their capacity to act by legislative and financial constraints, and frustrated in their engagement with other bodies by poor liaison arrangements. At the same time, concerns have been expressed about the inclusiveness of some councils, the low level of contested elections, the procedures for consulting and communicating with local people, and the training and expertise of clerks and councillors. There are many good practices with respect to all these areas of concern, but the pattern of practice across Wales is variable. This study was commissioned by the Welsh Assembly Government to examine these issues and to make recommendations as to the role, functions and future potential of community and town councils in Wales. S4 The report draws on information collected through a wide range of research methods including: surveys of all community and town councils and all county and county borough councils; case studies of twenty councils, including questionnaire surveys of councillors, interviews and focus groups; interviews with planning officers and other key stakeholders and informants; four public seminars; and the analysis of written submissions. Further details of the research and discussion of the issues are contained in the full report and in four research papers which are available on the study’s website at www.aber.ac.uk/communitygovernance. The remainder of this summary presents an overview of the key findings and recommendations. 1 KEY FINDINGS The characteristics and distribution of community